Thursday, September 6, 2012

Virtues of the Virtual Tour

by Douglas Corleone

Rather than trek from city to city, many authors today are touring from home in their underwear.The
virtual tour continues to rise in popularity, and there is no shortage of
venues in the blogosphere to visit.No
air travel, no road trips, no filling the tank at four bucks a gallon – sounds
like a terrific alternative to the traditional tour.But is it? I’m touring virtually right here right now, though I am wearing shorts and a tank top.I live in Hawaii, which makes the
conventional tour a bit more difficult – but not impossible.So, why am I typing instead of talking to you
at a bookstore?Do virtual tours sell
books?

Maybe.But I don’t
think they sell all that many.What the
virtual tour does do is give an author exposure.Before reading this, you may have never heard
the name Douglas Corleone or the title of my latest novel, Last Lawyer Standing.But if
you just read that sentence, you have now.(Please try to remember it).Are
you likely to rush over to Amazon and purchase my book based on my musings on
virtual tours?Of course not.But my name may stick in your head – Douglas
Corleone, Douglas Corleone, Douglas Corleone – and next spring when my first
international thriller titled Good as
Gone comes out, you may remember it.(If you need help remembering my surname, think of the Corleone family
in The Godfather saga).

In advertising it’s well known that a consumer needs to see
a product about 7 or 8 times before the product truly sinks into that
consumer’s memory.The bar I’ve set for
virtual tours is 30 blogs in 30 days.(I
accomplished that last year; this year, only half as many).So if you come across half my guest blog
posts this year, there’s a chance you’ll remember my name, maybe even my face,
and hopefully my book jacket, next time you’re browsing the shelves in the New
Mysteries section at Barnes & Noble.And maybe then, you’ll pick up the book, read the dust jacket.If so, whether you purchase the book or not,
the virtual tour has served its purpose.

The virtual tour should remain part of any new author’s
arsenal.But it shouldn’t replace the
traditional tour.Nothing compares to
meeting readers face-to-face and signing their books in front of them.The virtue of the virtual tour is to give an
author an additional platform, to expand his or her overall internet
presence.If it accomplishes that minor
goal, it’s done its job and it was well worth the 400 or 500 words written in
your underwear.Thanks to the Stiletto
Gang for helping me help you remember my name – Douglas Corleone, Douglas
Corleone, Douglas Corleone – though I still hope to meet you someday
face-to-face.Let’s say next spring? Buy Last Lawyer Standing at Amazon

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Bio: Douglas Corleone is the author of the
Kevin Corvelli crime novels published by St. Martin's Minotaur. A former New
York City criminal defense attorney, Doug now resides in the Hawaiian Islands,
where he is currently at work on his next novel. Visit him online at www.douglascorleone.com and follow
him on Twitter @douglascorleone and Facebook.